Thursday 24 November 2011

Saracenic in Stoke

It looks proudly like the sort of Indo-Saracenic architecture made in British India. This building rises coolly above its rather ugly surroundings in Stoke town centre.
I always am thankful to see it – Stoke town needs this spot of glamour in it, it really does.

In fact, it is (I think) the former Co-Operative store; and is now a set of business offices.

3 comments:

  1. can you please tell me what is saracenic about this building?

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  2. I guess the look of this reminds me of 'Indo-Saracenic' style buildings in India such as the Ripon Building in Madras and monuments in India such as the Gateway of India in Mumbai.
    It's the elongated dome, the frontage, and the startling pure cream-white colour, not to mention the classical interjections that those British architects abroad loved.
    But, yes, it's an English, popularised version, I admit.
    I must find out the date of it, but I'd guess something slightly later than the date of the Gateway Of India - so...1920s? Maybe.

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  3. I was told this building was renovated into flats for convicts when they come out of prison?! Maybe they meant a different building, but it really is a nice bit of architecture in the droll surroundings of stoke town.

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